A battery the size of one-and-a half soccer fields is on the cusp of powering WA homes

Synergy will operate the 100-200-megawatt hour battery in Kwinana
A new WA hydrogen company plans to build an industrial-scale biomass to green ammonia facility
RFX selected to supply batteries for Australian government’s BOM emissions reduction project

The McGowan Government – through Synergy – is one step closer to delivering Western Australia’s biggest battery after the first battery units were installed today.

Synergy will operate the 100-200-megawatt hour battery in Kwinana, which has the capacity to power 160,000 homes for up to two hours.

The big battery – the size of about one and half soccer fields – will absorb excess energy from rooftop solar when the sun is shining and demand is low, then discharge when it is most needed, during the late afternoon and evening peak.

Premier Mark McGowan says the big battery forms part of WA’s commitment to net zero emissions by 2050 and will support the transition of WA’s electricity grid to higher levels of renewables and storage.

Southern European-based NHOA is a global player in energy storage and e-mobility and is delivering the big battery.

“Their energy management and solutions expertise, coupled with the fact that WA is unique in its energy security, sets us apart from the rest of the country,” McGowan says.

It is believed the project will provide valuable learnings towards other large-scale battery storage projects earmarked for the next five years.

There’s a new hydrogen company on the scene

A new West Australian hydrogen company launched yesterday with plans to build an industrial-scale biomass to green ammonia facility for domestic and international sale.

Liberty Hydrogen is targeting a capacity of 10,000t of green ammonia, positioning itself as a leader in the burgeoning low-carbon ammonia sector.

To ASX renewable energy news

REDFLOW (ASX:RFX)

Redflow has been selected to supply 18 zinc bromine flow batteries for the Australian Government Bureau of Meteorology (BoM) Renewable Hybrid Power Supply (RHPS) project.

The 180kWh of Redflow energy storage is part of the Bureau of Meteorology’s (BOM) hybrid solar, battery, diesel solution, which aims to provide improved solar utilisation as well as backup power for extended operation in the event of a power failure.

Redflow batteries are designed for high cycle rates in medium to long duration applications with zero risk of thermal runway, and RFX’s CEO and MD Tim Harris says they are the perfect solution for BOM’s Renewable Hybrid Power Supply (RHPS) project.

“The batteries are ideally suited for extreme conditions,” he says.

“With no degradation and coupled with our unique hibernation mode which allows the battery to be left at 100% state of charge for months and then have the ability to rapidly restart, makes our batteries the perfect solution.”

Supply batteries to three weather radar locations

The Bureau of Meteorology provides a critical service by issuing early warnings of severe weather events to the Australian public and industry.

Redflow will supply 18 zinc bromine flow batteries to three weather radar locations in regional NSW – Yeoval, Hillston, and Brewarrina – while integration partner, Seven20 Electrical, has been selected to build the full solution for BOM with preparations for deployment planned to begin this month.

The RHPS at these three sites is expected to improve the reliability of power, while simultaneously reducing net emissions and ongoing power cost.